Following The First Lady

First Lady Mary Pat Christie Names 28th New Jersey Hero

First Lady Mary Pat Christie named Abby Daly as the 4th New Jersey Hero of 2014. Ms. Daly is the founder and executive director of Bridges of Books, a non-profit organization that collects and distributes books to underprivileged and at-risk children in the New Jersey area. Since 2003, Ms. Daly has given away over 425,000 books to children all over New Jersey. The hard work and dedication of Ms. Daly and Bridges of Books have benefitted numerous community groups, including schools, after-school programs, shelters, food banks, and detention facilities. “Books are powerful tools that open doors to learning, expand our imagination and help to understand the world around us,””said First Lady Mary Pat Christie. “I’m amazed by the thousands of students she has been able to impact by changing their lives through reading books. I am proud to name Abby Daly as our 28th New Jersey Hero.”

The ceremony took place at the Jersey Explorer Museum in East Orange, New Jersey. By partnering with the New Jersey Youth Corps, Bridges of Books set up a book fair in the museum. Throughout the afternoon, children from the community had the opportunity to explore the museum’s exhibits and chose a few books to take home with them.